Religion: X-raying the Pope

The Pontiff had taken no breakfast when, at 8 a.m., he stepped into a
little, white-walled room in his Vatican apartment. Flanking an X-ray
table set up for the occasion were four doctors. As the ailing Pope
raised his hand in blessing, all knelt for a short prayer. Then, at
last, the doctors were able to begin a task that should have been done
months, if not years ago: a thorough X-ray of their patient's
intestinal tract. (Many times during his recurrent illness the Pope
could not have stood the process, but some Vaticaners...